ABSTRACT

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Malvaceae is a tropical plant of considerable economic importance. In most part of Nigeria, it is prepared into a traditional non-alcoholic beverage known as Zobo. However, microbial contamination has been an issue with the production and consumption of this product. This research was carried out to determine the level of bacteriological contamination in Zobo drinks consumed in Umuahia, Abia state. Ten (10) zobo drinks were bought from random retailers and vendors across five (5) different markets in Umuahia; two (2) samples from each market. After serial dilution, total bacterial count was determined by pour plate technique using standard methods. The identification of microorganisms was based on; Gram staining, Colonial morphology, Cell morphology, and Biochemical analysis. Biochemical tests carried out included; motility test, indole test, coagulase test, oxidase test, and catalase test. Data were collected on the pH of the zobo drinks, total bacterial count (cfu/ml), cultural characteristics of bacterial isolates, biochemical characteristics of bacterial isolates, and percentage occurrence of the different isolates in each sample. The pH of the samples ranges from 2.9 to 3.1. All the zobo drinks samples were contaminated with varying levels of bacterial count, Ubani 1.7x102 to 2.7x103, Orieugba 1.0x102 to 4.9x103, Ahiaeke 4.6x102 to 3.6x103, Ahiukwu olokoro 1,2x102 to 5.0x103, and Afor Ibeji 2.6x102 to 3.2x103. Sample Ahiaukwu Olokoro I, showed a high bacterial count of 5.0x103, while Sample Orieugba II was the least affected area showing a bacterial count of 1.0x102. E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp, Bacillus spp and Proteus vulgaris were the organisms obtained from the different culture plates. Streptococcus spp showed a 30% occurrence, which is the least across the sample areas, Bacillus spp had 40% occurrence, Staphylococcus aureus was the highest occurring isolate with a 80% occurrence across the sample areas followed by E. coli with 70% occurence while Proteus had a 40% occurrence in all samples inoculated. Results obtained in this study have shown a high contamination of zobo drink. This is of public health importance.